lam Noah started painting while living in a refugee camp in Greece, waiting for his family’s asylum case to be processed.
“I just started painting without taking classes or anything. I just did it on my own, "Mr Noah told SBS Kurdish.
“I wanted to paint to deliver a message through my paintings, to tell everyone what it is like to be living as a refugee, how we feel, and how hard it is to fight for a better and safer life. I want everyone to know about our situation."
As well as being an artist Mr Noah plays three instruments; tambour, oud, and guitar - playing is a way to express his feelings and frustrations. He compares his paintings to playing music.
Green eye ponder, and, blue eye afraid Source: Supplied by artist Salam Noah
“It’s just a way for us to express ourselves, to have our voices heard, and to show that we refugees, paint, play music. We are just like you, in the end; we are all just human beings.”
Mr Noah is from Baadre, a village about 20km from Duhok in the Kurdistan Region. He had to flee with his family in 2016 due to Islamic State attack and because they are Yazidis. They first travelled to Turkey where they stayed for about one month, trying to cross the Bulgarian border but after six attempts the family was exhausted.
They decided to find another way; this time it was by boat to Greece. They spent one month trying to cross the border during which they suffered physically and mentally. After three attempts, they finally made it and reached Lesvos Island on March 6, 2016. And 10 days later they were relocated to Ritsona Refugee Camp.
Source: Supplied by artist Salam Noah
His father and mother, with seven of his brothers and sisters, were relocated to France on September 20, 2016 - and six months after that Mr Noah, his brother and his brother’s family were also relocated to France.
“But because I was married I had to wait as did one of my brothers who was also married with a son," Mr Noah explained.
"We are considered independent from our parents, so we were not relocated with them. So six months later the five of us were also resettled in Forbach a villiage in France near the German border.”
Mr Noah appreciates the French government’s acceptance of Yazidi refugees as they have suffered a lot in the hands of ISIS.
Source: Supplied by artist Salam Noah
“I would like to thank France for accepting many Yazidis and I can say 40% of the refugees who have been resettled in this village, Forbach are Yazidis, some have also been resettled near Paris and in Leon."
"I would also through your radio program like to thank the Australian government for taking a number of Yazidi refugees and resettling them in Australia. Assisting these refugees who have suffered in the hands of ISIS is appreciated very much.”
Mr Noah has painted over 120 paintings and eighty percent of the paintings are about Yazidis. He had exhibitions in Switzerland, Spain, Washington, the Netherlands, Germany, UK, France, and Luxembourg and has participated in several other exhibitions.
Source: Supplied by artist Salam Noah
“Some people paint to make money or for business, I paint to tell the suffering of refugees in refugee camps. Most of the proceedings from selling the paintings go towards helping Yazidis and refugees.”
Source: Supplied by artist Salam Noah
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